This invention relates to a foam panel building system that is bonded together with a sprayed-on cementitious coating that forms a load-bearing shell around the entire structure.
There are numerous methods for constructing homes and building structures, and each have their benefits and drawbacks. The most common home building method in the Unites States, for instance, involves building a wood frame structure, which is then faced with brick or siding of a variety of materials, and finished with drywall and paint on the interior. Building such a home takes considerable time, requires workers with a variety of skilled trades, and incorporates numerous different materials. While this building method is highly flexible, it is often quite costly.
The most common building method throughout the rest of the world involves building a structure with blocks made of a wide variety of materials, including mud, brick, or concrete. While relatively simple and inexpensive to construct, such building methods are time consuming, often require skilled laborers, and frequently require materials not readily available in every location.
There are many places in the world that are without the necessary building materials and skilled workers, and where the local population cannot afford to construct homes. Thus, there is a need throughout the world for buildings that are highly durable, yet quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive to construct. This invention meets that need by providing a structure that requires few components and is quick and simple to construct, resulting in a relatively inexpensive method of construction.
There are a number of patents covering lightweight foam panel buildings covered with cementitious material, but none have the features of this design. One of the earliest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,973, issued on Jul. 18, 1972 to Kellert, which contains an elaborate structural framework, and also requires a wire screen for application of sprayed on concrete. Another example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,783, issued on Oct. 6, 1981 to Mulvihill, which requires the use of a temporary framework to assemble the panels, and then requires a rigid steel wire mesh for application of a gunite concrete layer. A third example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,180, issued Aug. 3, 1982 to Gibson et. al., requires a steel framework to hold the panels in place, and requires wire mesh for application of the concrete. The necessity of a framework, either temporary or permanent, increases the cost and complexity of the building method. The present invention does not require a framework to hold the structure in place, making it easier, quicker and cheaper to use.
One unique aspect of this invention is that the cementitious material is sprayed directly on the structure without the need for wire or other meshing to hold the material, unlike stucco or other conventional materials.
The current art contains a number of spray-on cementitious materials, which have two drawbacks. Many cannot be applied directly to a surface, requiring the use of a wire or mesh covering over the surface. Others can be applied directly to a surface, but provide no structural support. The present invention does both.
Examples of prior art in these categories includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,794 issued Oct. 4, 1988 to Grieb, which discloses pre-made foam blocks with a cementitious coating. The coating is applied on a fiberglass reinforcement mat laid over the surface prior to the application of the coating. While these blocks are of sufficient strength to create a load-bearing structure, they have the disadvantage of requiring a mesh to apply the cementitious coating. A similar example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,175, issued Apr. 17, 1975 to Heutteman, discloses a building panel made from a honeycombed core panel covered with a thin, strong concrete coating. Both inventions require assembly after coating.
A second unique aspect of the present invention is that the cementitious material dries hard enough to make the material load-bearing. There are many spray-on materials known in the art, such as cement or stucco, but these do not add structural strength or support to the building. There are a few patents on the direct application of cementitious materials to a surface, but none produce a structure that has load-bearing properties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,164, issued Jan. 10, 1978 to McMillan, shows a panel with a direct application of cementitious materials, which provides protection to the underlying materials, but does not produce any structural benefits.
Another example from the prior art is U. S. Pat. No. 5,771,649 issued Jun. 30, 1998 to Zwieg. It is drawn to a system of structural foam and plastic blocks, which are then coated with a sprayed on concrete. In Zwieg, the blocks provide structural support and the concrete provides a protective layer.
From the proceeding description of the prior art, it should be apparent that there is a need for a building system that is simple to build, yet structurally sound. This invention meets that need.
The present invention is directed to a new foam panel building system that is bonded together with a cementitious coating that forms a load-bearing shell around the entire structure, and to the method of constructing this structure. The building system is comprised of a number of foam panels, a means for connecting the panels into wall units and a roof, and a cementitious coating applied directly to the walls and roof which forms a load-bearing shell.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more easily constructed and more durable building system than that which has previously been available in the industry. Moreover, the present invention provides a building system that is not only strong, but is also aesthetic in appearance. It can be easily adapted to incorporate a great variety of architectural details to suit a purchaser""s specific needs. Importantly, the invention also provides a low-cost housing alternative that is quick to construct.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a cementitious coating that is applied directly to a surface without the need for wire or mesh to hold the coating. It is a further object of this invention that this cementitious coating, once applied to a surface, provides sufficient strength and durability to create a load-bearing structural element.
The method of constructing this structure comprises the steps of building a foundation, attaching panels to create walls, attaching walls to the foundations and then to each other, attaching panels to create a roof, and applying a cementitious coating onto the walls and roof to form a load-bearing shell around the structure.
Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.